Table 3.

The risk factor analysis of occult neoplasm

	Bell’s palsy	Occult neoplasm	p value
Male	14/32 (43.8%)	6/9 (66.7%)	0.277
Age ≥ 65	9/32 (28.1%)	3/9 (33.3%)	0.762
Facial or retroauricular pain	7/32 (21.9%)	6/9 (66.7%)	0.011*
Hypesthesia or dysesthesia	3/32 (9.4%)	4/9 (44.4%)	0.014*
Dysgeusia	3/32 (9.4%)	0/9 (0%)	0.818
Facial twitching	1/32 (3.1%)	1/9 (11.1%)	0.370
Sudden onset (< 72 h)	31/32 (96.9%)	2/9 (22.2%)	< 0.001*
Progressive	1/32 (3.1%)	7/9 (77.8%)	< 0.001*
Recurrent	3/32 (9.4%)	1/9 (11.1%)	0.878
Complete palsy (> 6 months)	1/32 (3.1%)	9/9 (100%)	< 0.001*
Irreversible, no improvement (> 6 months)	0/32 (0%)	9/9 (100%)	< 0.001*
History of skin cancer	1/32 (3.1%)	3/9 (33.3%)	0.07*
Total	32*	9

*Among the 63 patients with Bell’s palsy in our database, 32 patients with inadequate information were excluded